Kathryn and Tyler’s Hotel Bardo Wedding in Savannah
Hotel Bardo opened in 2024 after reimagining one of Savannah’s historic properties right across from Forsyth Park. It is one of those rare wedding venues that gives a day a lot of room to breathe: beautiful suites, the Green Room, the Courtyard, the Ballroom, the Carriage House, the lawn, the pool, and Forsyth Park just a short walk away.
For Kathryn and Tyler, we got to use just about all of it. That is always fun for a photographer, but it also made the whole day feel relaxed and connected. No single space had to do all the work. The day just kept opening into the next good place.
Getting ready at Hotel Bardo
We started in Kathryn’s suite overlooking the hotel pool, where friends and guests were already enjoying the cool water on a sunny Savannah day. There was energy outside, calm inside, and that perfect getting-ready mix of anticipation, laughter, hairspray, and someone asking where the earrings are.
Kathryn got into her gown with her mom, which gave us some really sweet, quiet moments. The suite had beautiful natural light, so even the indoor portraits felt clean and easy. Every detail was thoughtful, right down to the tips of her toes.
A Forsyth Park first look
For Kathryn’s first look with her dad, we stepped onto the shaded balcony. It was simple, private, and exactly what that moment should be. No big production. Just a dad seeing his daughter on her wedding day.
Then we walked across to Forsyth Park for Kathryn and Tyler’s first look. One of the best parts of a Hotel Bardo wedding is how close you are to the park. It is a short, easy walk, but it somehow feels like a tiny parade. You pass Collins Quarter, people cheer, strangers yell congratulations, and for a few minutes everyone in Savannah is rooting for you.
We used the Garden of Fragrance for their first look, which gave us a quieter, more tucked-away setting. After that, we moved through the park and over to the low-hanging oak branches for portraits with the wedding party and family. Savannah was showing off, as usual.
Back through Hotel Bardo
Before the ceremony, we made a few portraits in the Green Room, Bardo’s lobby bar. Those ended up being some of my favorites from the day. There is something fun about wedding clothes in a great hotel bar before the ceremony begins. It feels classic, a little cinematic, and very much like something good is about to happen.
The Courtyard ceremony
The ceremony took place in Hotel Bardo’s Courtyard, which has a greenhouse-style look with bold green structure, bright light, and interesting shadows. It was a creative space to photograph, and it gave the ceremony a setting that felt very Savannah without trying too hard.
After the ceremony, cocktail hour moved onto the lawn, then everyone headed into the Ballroom for supper. Kathryn and Tyler’s day really made use of the property. Some weddings happen in one or two spots. This one felt like we got to see every square inch of Bardo.
Supper, dancing, cigars, and cake
After supper, everyone moved into the Carriage House for dancing. The live band kept the room full, and because some of the cocktail-hour furniture stayed outside, guests could drift in and out between dancing, talking, and enjoying the warm Savannah evening.
We also snuck away for a few cigar portraits with the aficionados in the family, which gave us some cool, slightly mischievous photos. The cake cutting was small, funny, and sweet. I always think cake cutting is the first little married-couple teamwork test, and these two passed with flying colors.
To end the night, Kathryn and Tyler drove away in her father’s antique convertible, which felt like the perfect Savannah wedding sendoff. Classic car, happy couple, beautiful hotel, and a whole crowd of people cheering them into married life.
Kathryn and Tyler, thank you for letting me be part of such a good day. And Hotel Bardo, I hope we see each other again soon.
If you are looking for a Savannah wedding photographer for Hotel Bardo, Forsyth Park, or anywhere nearby, I would love to help. You can start here.
Hotel Bardo wedding planning notes
If you are planning a wedding at Hotel Bardo, here are a few practical photography notes from this day. Not every wedding needs the exact same plan, but these are the things I would be thinking about if we were building a timeline together.
Is Hotel Bardo a good Savannah wedding venue for photos?
Yes. Hotel Bardo gives a wedding day several strong photo settings in one place: suites with natural light, the Green Room, the Courtyard, the Ballroom, the Carriage House, the pool, the lawn, and Forsyth Park right across the street. That variety helps the day feel relaxed because no single space has to carry the whole story.
Can you take wedding portraits in Forsyth Park from Hotel Bardo?
Yes. Forsyth Park is one of the best reasons to build a little breathing room into a Hotel Bardo wedding timeline. The walk is short, the portraits can feel very Savannah, and the Garden of Fragrance and nearby oak branches give you options for first looks, family portraits, wedding party portraits, and quieter couple portraits.
What photo locations work best at Hotel Bardo?
The strongest photo locations are the getting-ready suites, shaded balconies, the Green Room, the Courtyard, the pool and lawn areas, the Ballroom, and the Carriage House. I also like using the movement between spaces. A hotel wedding can feel especially alive when the photos show the whole rhythm of the property instead of only the ceremony and reception rooms.
Should we plan a first look for a Hotel Bardo wedding?
A first look can work really well here, especially if you want portraits in Forsyth Park before the ceremony and a more relaxed cocktail hour afterward. It is not mandatory, but Hotel Bardo and Forsyth Park make it easy to create a first look that feels private, useful, and still connected to the Savannah setting.
Who photographed Kathryn and Tyler’s Hotel Bardo wedding?
This wedding was photographed by Bud Johnson Photography, a Savannah wedding photographer serving Hotel Bardo, Forsyth Park, and wedding venues throughout Savannah and the Lowcountry.
Vendor Credits
- Couple: Kathryn and Tyler
- Venue: @hotelbardo | Hotel Bardo weddings
- Wedding Planner: @elegantsavannahweddings
- HMUA: @dolledupbycaroline
- Cake: @publix and @bluemooncrossingbakery
- Ceremony Officiant: Alex Meurisse
- Ceremony Music: @jlmusicservice
- Videography: @ardsleyparkproductions
- Entertainment: @colorthenightband
- Florals: @ivoryandbeau
- Rentals and Decor: @amazingeventrentals
- Photography: Bud Johnson Photography